Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[tomlee1986]

100% masks compliance while doing my grocery shopping today.

That is good to know to be honest.. until we have a vaccine, it is needed, despite i dont like it either

 

[Lynda2475]

Mandatory quarantine requirements for people entering South Australia from Greater Brisbane area have been abolished.

Those crossing the border today won't be directed to self-isolate unless they've attended high-risk locations linked to the Grand Chancellor cluster.

Anyone coming into South Australia from Brisbane will still have to undergo tests on days one, five and 12 of their time in the state.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Note that the new and fourth AO case will be recorded in tomorrows numbers.

Vic DHHS Daily report:

Media Release
17 January 2021

Salient parts:

Victoria has recorded seven new cases of coronavirus since yesterday.

Four are returned international travellers in hotel quarantine, one is an air crew member in hotel quarantine, and two are non-playing participants of the Australian Open also in hotel quarantine.

The new cases are a male in his 50s, a male in his 40s, and a male in his 30s, a female in her 50s, a female in her 20s and one male and one female child.

For the the eleventh consecutive day, Victoria has recorded no new locally acquired cases of coronavirus.

The number of active cases in Victoria is now 30, made up of five locally acquired cases, which is a decrease of two since yesterday, and 25 cases in returned overseas travelers in hotel quarantine, an increase of 6 since yesterday.

From tomorrow, Monday 18 January, office workers, excluding the Victorian Public Service, can increase to up to 50 per cent of on-site worker capacity. The Victorian Public Service can initiate a return to on-site work starting at up to 25 per cent capacity.

A further increase in these capacity limits is anticipated to occur in late February but will be subject to ongoing public health advice.
Given the current low levels of COVID-19 community transmission in Victoria, the Victorian Chief Health Officer has recommended that mask wearing is no longer necessary in certain settings.

From 11.59pm tonight, Sunday 17 January, masks will only be mandatory:

• on public transport
• when riding in a ride share or taxi
• inside shopping centres, including the retail stores inside shopping centres, such as clothing stores
• inside indoor markets
• in large retail stores (over 2000 sqm), such as supermarkets, department stores, electronics stores, furniture stores, or hardware stores
• on domestic flights to and from Victoria
• at airports
• in hospitals

You must always carry a face mask with you when you leave home unless you have a lawful reason not to. It is strongly recommended you wear one whenever you cannot keep 1.5 metres distance from others.


More than 2,375 exemptions have already been granted.


Note that exemptions would be from redzone areas as you do not need exemptions to travel from an orange zone or green zone.

 

[drron]

Even Tassie has medi hotels as this sign on the great helipad mural proves.
.

 

[SydneySwan]

SMH reports:

Victorian Liberal senator Sarah Henderson has attacked the state government for preventing Victorians returning home and resuming work.

“Victorians must not be arbitrarily locked out of their homes,” Senator Henderson said on Sunday afternoon.

"I am deeply concerned about the arbitrary manner in which the Victorian government is preventing Victorians caught in ‘red zones’ from returning home.

"Those trapped in a red zone are effectively being locked out of their home, separated from family and frequently prevented from working. This is causing very significant economic and mental health damage. This restriction may also breach the Victorian Charter of Human Rights.

"While the risk of community transmission must be minimised, why are Victorians caught in a red zone not being given the opportunity to take a COVID test? Surely if a person tests negative he or she should be granted a permit to travel back to Victoria?

"In light of increasing concerns about the lockout of Victorians, I call on Premier Daniel Andrews to urgently review the traffic light system."

Did you leave out the bit where Senator Henderson criticised the government she is a member of for not doing enough to bring home Australians stranded overseas?

 

[antycbr]

Did you leave out the bit where Senator Henderson criticised the government she is a member of for not doing enough to bring home Australians stranded overseas?

The federal government can bring as many back as they want, but there is no HQ space that the states are willing to staff due to safety/leaks

The federal government could run their own HQ process on Commonwealth land but the staff are still part of the community.

 

[dajop]

Since Vic DHHS adopted the two ring containment method in October, plus with enhanced contact tracing as well as various community measures which have varied (mask wearing etc) every new outbreak has been reduced to zero cases within a fortnight and mainly within a week, and also that no outbreak has grown out of control unlike at the start of the second wave in Victoria.

• Kilmore
• Shepparton
• Uniting Age Care - Preston
• Box Hill Hospital Cluster #2
• SE Community
• North-metro Regional Community (which was the several EPIC related clusters linked by proximity, not transmission in all cases)
• Avalon returned traveller (teenage girl = 0 local transmission)
• Black Rock

were all swiftly controlled.

Despite this, I still think the government lacks confidence in their ability to just as effectively control a new cluster emerging in the western suburb cohort that was so badly affected in the second wave. Hence the strict border closures from NSW and Greater Brisbane.

Anecdotally, I have moved around some of the western suburbs in the last few weeks, and mask wearing, as an indicator of "buy-in" to covid precautions was poorest of anywhere I've been in Highpoint Shopping Centre (admittedly Saturday evening before Xmas, less than half wearing masks). By contrast last week I was in CBD and I noticed 50% wearing masks outside - where not required - and close to 100% in shopping centres/supermarkets. Furthermore I caught as suburban train through the NW suburbs (Sunbury line) to connect to a Vline train, and probably only 2/3 wearing masks on the suburban train (close to 100% on the Vline train to Bendigo).

And put it this way - these observations are causing me to really struggle with my beliefs - I try not to be xx_-ist or yyy-phobic, but it is clear certain groups (or more specifically certain generations of certain groups) have not bought into Covid-precautions. It is what it is. And I'm sure this is why the health advice to close borders is what it is, but the government would never admit this.

 

[jakeseven7]

Let’s hope the hospital worker hasn’t spread it there​

——

​

Hospital worker among six new local COVID-19 cases in Sydney, mystery cases remain at 12​

A Sydney hospital worker is among six new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in NSW, with the source of the new detections unknown.

All six cases are close contacts of a western Sydney man who was the state's only locally acquired case announced on Saturday.

One of the new cases is a staff member at the Concord Repatriation Hospital who is in isolation but who had worked three shifts in the cardiology and radiology wards while potentially infectious on January 12, 13 and 14.

Hospital worker among six new local COVID-19 cases in Sydney

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said testing rates in NSW must increase before restrictions can be eased.

www.watoday.com.au

 

[jakeseven7]

Good to see NSW holding firm on masks as testing rates remain too low. Good blackmail attempt

——

Mandatory mask rules to remain in NSW as testing levels remain ‘too low’​

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said mandatory mask wearing rules in shopping centres and large indoor public places will stay in place while testing numbers remain low.

The Premier said the state was still trying to "mop up" the outbreak, but said she was disappointed in the low and falling testing rates, which may hinder the state's ability to open up and restrictions eased.

"All of us want to see those restrictions we have in place eased, all of us want to be confident we can go back to what we had before Christmas," she said. "And that will only be possible if we get those high rates of testing to give our contact-tracers and health experts confidence that we are on top of any unknown strains of the virus."

Mandatory mask rules remain in NSW as Sydney records six local COVID-19 cases

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged Sydneysiders to come forward and get tested.

www.sbs.com.au

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Good to see NSW holding firm on masks as testing rates remain too low. Good blackmail attempt

——

Mandatory mask rules to remain in NSW as testing levels remain ‘too low’​

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said mandatory mask wearing rules in shopping centres and large indoor public places will stay in place while testing numbers remain low.

The Premier said the state was still trying to "mop up" the outbreak, but said she was disappointed in the low and falling testing rates, which may hinder the state's ability to open up and restrictions eased.

"All of us want to see those restrictions we have in place eased, all of us want to be confident we can go back to what we had before Christmas," she said. "And that will only be possible if we get those high rates of testing to give our contact-tracers and health experts confidence that we are on top of any unknown strains of the virus."

Mandatory mask rules remain in NSW as Sydney records six local COVID-19 cases

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged Sydneysiders to come forward and get tested.

www.sbs.com.au

To be honest, not really. Apparently the region not wearing the masks (% of population) is the same region not getting tested.

As with most things covid, breaches by the minority causing the imposition of rules on the majority / everyone.

I guess it’s theoretically no different to many other laws - drink driving, shoplifting, etc

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Despite this, I still think the government lacks confidence in their ability to just as effectively control a new cluster emerging in the western suburb cohort that was so badly affected in the second wave. Hence the strict border closures from NSW and Greater Brisbane.

Anecdotally, I have moved around some of the western suburbs in the last few weeks, and mask wearing, as an indicator of "buy-in" to covid precautions was poorest of anywhere I've been in Highpoint Shopping Centre (admittedly Saturday evening before Xmas, less than half wearing masks). By contrast last week I was in CBD and I noticed 50% wearing masks outside - where not required - and close to 100% in shopping centres/supermarkets. Furthermore I caught as suburban train through the NW suburbs (Sunbury line) to connect to a Vline train, and probably only 2/3 wearing masks on the suburban train (close to 100% on the Vline train to Bendigo).

And put it this way - these observations are causing me to really struggle with my beliefs - I try not to be xx_-ist or yyy-phobic, but it is clear certain groups (or more specifically certain generations of certain groups) have not bought into Covid-precautions. It is what it is. And I'm sure this is why the health advice to close borders is what it is, but the government would never admit this.

I agree that they lack confidence (or are just overly fearful) and that is why the border restrictions have been tighter they they needed to have been.

Though having said that a key aspect of the BlackRock Cluster was that it did not have cases in the worst LGA's of the Second Wave in Vic which in essence is what you are referring to.

It was like the First Wave mainly in smaller households and more affluent (not as in rich, but not lower income) households. Though the Black Rock Cluster could not have bean at a worse time being at Christmas/New Year when mixing is very high both shopping and at social events and then magnified with a huge % of the population going off on holidays and travelling and mixing again far and wide.

 

[oz_mark]

I agree that they lack confidence (or are just overly fearful) and that is why the border restrictions have been tighter they they needed to have been.

I say fearful. Don't think the population would take too kindly to anything getting away from them.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Someone like @RAM would love this information

Overseas Travel Statistics, Provisional, June 2021

Provisional statistics on international travel based on initial border crossings, arriving in and departing from Australia, including tourism trips

www.abs.gov.au

 

[jakeseven7]

To be honest, not really. Apparently the region not wearing the masks (% of population) is the same region not getting tested.

Well as it’s remaining mandatory in NSW means they can enforce it via the police, just like they did in Vic. Even if 9/10 people comply it’s better than 0/10 which is where NSW was before they made it mandatory.

Anyrhing to help end this outbreak sooner - they are trying harder than Crossroads at least.

 

[jakeseven7]

Interesting, going hard early... clearly knowing they will have issues in some areas of Sydney and probably certain towns in the north NSW coast

A few AFF members might not be dining out if they don’t get the vaccine

——

Exclusive: Move to ban those without COVID jab from offices, pubs, restaurants​

NSW residents may have to provide proof they have received a coronavirus vaccination before entering certain venues in future.

The proposal is part of a tough new plan floated by state Premier Gladys Berejiklian in a bid to “incentivise” the adoption of the jab.

Speaking exclusively to The Daily Telegraph, Ms Berejiklian said those who refused the vaccine could be banned from entering venues including pubs, restaurants and workplaces.

“Clearly, opportunities to travel overseas or opportunities to enter certain workplaces or venues might be enhanced if you have the vaccine,” she said.

Australia coronavirus updates, Gladys Berejiklian border clash, health minister's COVID-19 warning

<p>Two Australian Open tennis players have tested positive to coronavirus.</p>

www.news.com.au

 

[SydneySwan]

Exclusive: Move to ban those without COVID jab from offices, pubs, restaurants

NSW residents may have to provide proof they have received a coronavirus vaccination before entering certain venues in future.

The proposal is part of a tough new plan floated by state Premier Gladys Berejiklian in a bid to “incentivise” the adoption of the jab.

Speaking exclusively to The Daily Telegraph, Ms Berejiklian said those who refused the vaccine could be banned from entering venues including pubs, restaurants and workplaces.

“Clearly, opportunities to travel overseas or opportunities to enter certain workplaces or venues might be enhanced if you have the vaccine,” she said.

Australia coronavirus updates, Gladys Berejiklian border clash, health minister's COVID-19 warning

<p>Two Australian Open tennis players have tested positive to coronavirus.</p>

www.news.com.au

I would agree with this approach and not just to the COVID vaccine but to all the other vaccines as well. I would only support exemptions for medical reasons.

 

[SydneySwan]

Well as it’s remaining mandatory in NSW means they can enforce it via the police, just like they did in Vic. Even if 9/10 people comply it’s better than 0/10 which is where NSW was before they made it mandatory.

My bolding. NSW had low mask-wearing before it was mandatory but it wasn't 0/10. Even pre-Covid you would always find mask wearers, mainly Asian Australians. I know one HK Chinese lady who has been wearing a mask on PT in Sydney since the SARs outbreak in 2003!

 

[Flashback]

I'm just sick of reading all the AO political chat in this thread.

 

[Pushka]

I'm just sick of reading all the AO political chat in this thread.

Sorry Flashback but it's rather timely here right now in Australia.

Post automatically merged: Jan 18, 2021

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This whole 'city quarantine' thing is becoming a bit silly. Time to mobilise the armed forces and set up quarantine stations in remote areas. The armed services should be fully self supporting with catering and medical so they don't need to return home frequently.